LONDON COUNCILS EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND POVERTY PROGRAMME

2016-2018

Application Document: 25th May 2016

Deadline for applications: 12 noon, 22nd June 2016

Please note that any additional guidance or clarification on any points in this prospectus will be posted on London Councils and London Councils-Europe websites at the end of each week until the 13th June 2016. It is important that you check the website to make sure that you do not miss any additional guidance.

www.londoncouncils.gov.uk

# Table of Contents

01. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 4 The London Councils programme .............................................................................. 5

02. Overview of Prospectus ............................................................................................... 6

03. Participant target groups ............................................................................................. 15 3.1a – Adults with long-term health conditions ......................................................... 18 3.1b - People with mental health needs ...................................................................... 19 3.2 - People from ethnic groups with low labour market participation rates .......... 20 3.3 – Women facing barriers to employment .............................................................. 21 3.4 - People recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction or misuse .................... 23 3.5 Additional target groups: homelessness ............................................................... 24

04. Added value .................................................................................................................. 25

05. Partnership working .................................................................................................... 26

06. Eligibility criteria ......................................................................................................... 28

07. Submitting an Application .......................................................................................... 29 i. Step one: Create an account login and access the online form ............................ 30 ii. Step two: Complete the online form .................................................................... 31

08. Horizontal Principles (Formerly Cross Cutting Themes) ........................................... 40

09. Geographical targeting ............................................................................................... 46

10. Project activities and results ...................................................................................... 47 Outputs/ results for payment: .................................................................................... 47 Outputs ....................................................................................................................... 47 Results ....................................................................................................................... 49

11. Project duration ......................................................................................................... 50

12. Soft outcomes ............................................................................................................ 50

13. Financial information ................................................................................................. 52 Staff costs .................................................................................................................. 52 Participant costs ....................................................................................................... 52 Other costs ............................................................................................................... 53 Match funding .......................................................................................................... 53 Eligible items of expenditure .................................................................................... 53

14. Publicity arrangements .............................................................................................. 55

15. Assessment process .................................................................................................. 56 Assessment against criteria ....................................................................................... 56 As part of the application process you will have to illustrate how you have considered and integrated into your project all the three elements of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental. There will also be an accompanying sustainable development checklist that you will have to complete and you should use this to identify the activity that you will provide further information on in the sustainable development section of the application form.

Annex 2. Checklist – Health ........................................................................................................................................... 63

Annex. 3 European Structural and Investment Funds Programme Guidance as per 12/05/2016 ........................................ 64

01. ESF Operational Programme for England 2014 to 2020 ......................................................................................... 64

02. Eligibility rules for the 2014 to 2020 European Social Fund ....................................................................................... 64

03. ESIF Strategy ............................................................................................................................................................... 64

04. European Social Fund programme guidance .............................................................................................................. 64

05. European Social Fund data evidence requirements - eligibility and results guidance 64

06. Branding and publicity requirements for the 2014 to 2020 European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund ........................................................................................................ 64

07. Procurement law compliance guidance note .................................................................................................................. 64

08. Procurement aide memoire for applicants and grant recipients .................................................................................... 64

09. European Social Fund guidance on document retention ............................................................................................ 64

10. Output and result indicator definitions guidance for the European Social Fund ....................................................... 64

11. Introduction

Welcome to the prospectus for the London Councils European Social Fund (ESF) Programme 2014-2020. The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) are the European Union’s main funding programmes for supporting growth and jobs across EU member states. They form a small but important part of the UK Government’s overall growth activity.

In England, for 2014 to 2020 the programmes consist of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF) and part of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). These have been brought together into a single Growth programme with individual operational programmes aligned to maximise support for jobs and growth.

The Growth Programme is delivered across England’s 39 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas, each of which has an ESIF Strategy to support local delivery. The £6 billion funds within the Growth Programme have been notionally distributed to LEP areas. ERDF can fund activity such as support to SMEs, ICT, Low Carbon and research and innovation. ESF supports employment, skills and social inclusion.

The bidding document is seeking applications for six projects which will deliver outputs and results across all the London Boroughs with specific target groups being a priority.

In London, ESF will support the London Enterprise Panel’s (LEP’s) three skills and employment themes: promoting sustainable employment and progression outcomes, ensuring individuals and employers are better informed to drive the skills and employment system and engaging with London’s businesses to help drive growth in the Capital.

The 2014-2020 London European Social Fund Programme, is under the strategic direction of the Mayor. It is administered on his behalf by the European Programmes Management Unit (EPMU).

The ESF Co-financing Organisations (also known as Opt-in Organisations) for 2014-20 are:

- Greater London Authority
- Skills Funding Agency
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- Big Lottery
- National Offender Management Service (NOMS)

Emphasis has been put on minimising duplication between Co-financers in London to ensure that ESF funding is used in the most effective way and to add value to existing provision. The Co-financing organisations, work closely to develop complementary programmes of activity for the region.

Please see the ESIF Strategy

The 2014-20 ESF Programme has two main priorities, each with some further investment priorities: Priority Axis 1 – Inclusive labour Markets

Priority 1.1 Access to Employment for Job-Seekers and Inactive People - Improving the employability and skills of the unemployed and economically inactive people

Priority 1.2 Sustainable Integration of Young People - Employment and Skills activities targeted at young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET

Priority 1.3 Youth Employment Initiative - This will focus on helping young people, particularly those not in education, employment or training (NEET) to participate in the labour market and learning in areas eligible for the Youth Employment Initiative.

Priority 1.4 Active Inclusion - To address the root causes of poverty which creates barriers to work so more people move closer or into employment

Priority Axis 2 – Skills for Growth

Priority 2.1 Enhancing Equal Access to Lifelong Learning

Priority 2.2 Improving the Labour Market Relevance of Education and Training Systems

Under the current round, London Councils welcome applications from organisations and partnerships that are strategic and show links with other programmes. Projects should be innovative and add value to mainstream provision. Please see Refer to the 2014-20 Operational Programme at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-social-fund-operational-programme-2014-to-2020

The London Councils programme

The London Councils ESF Programme will work under ESF Priority 1.1, improving the employability and skills of unemployed and economically inactive people. London Councils specifically aims to fund projects which promote the employability of excluded individuals in the community. Projects should equip individuals with the personal and occupational skills they need to access and compete effectively in the labour market.

London Councils plays two specific roles in the London ESF programme. It is the only grant allocator funding rounds that exclusively fund the voluntary and community sector. It also targets individuals that are furthest from the labour market. The focus of the London Councils ESF programme reflects findings that voluntary and community organisations are often the most effective at accessing people who are furthest away from the labour market, and enable them to become more job-ready and support them into training and employment.

The London Councils programme focuses primarily on people that are long term unemployed with an emphasis on the economically inactive. In this way, the London Councils ESF programme can help the London boroughs contribute towards national indicator targets for employment and poverty by targeting workless people. London has significant levels of child poverty. 592,000 children living in London are below the poverty line, 37 per cent of all children in the capital. While poverty rates are higher for everyone in London than nationally, this gap is larger for children than for any other group. London Councils is keen to fund projects under this ESF programme that also contribute to reducing child poverty in London by raising family income and skills.

Under the current round, London Councils welcomes applications from voluntary sector organisations or from voluntary sector-led partnerships that are strategic and show links with other programmes. Projects should be innovative and add value to mainstream provision.

This guidance sets out the criteria and conditions for applying under this round of funding.

2. Overview of Prospectus

You are expected to bid for one or more projects, you may only bid once for a cluster. This is a Pan London Poverty Program funded by London Councils and European Social Fund.

Geographical

The table below lists the minimum number of starters you will be expected to recruit from each Borough. Payment may be withheld if the starters per Borough targets are not met.

The minimum number of starters per Borough is listed below:

1 Child Poverty Action Group. http://www.cpag.org.uk/campaigns/child-poverty-london/keyfacts Table 2.1 Borough Spread Figures

| Borough | Starts | |-------------------------------|--------| | Camden | 113 | | City of London | 3 | | Greenwich | 147 | | Hackney | 153 | | Hammersmith and Fulham | 92 | | Islington | 121 | | Kensington and Chelsea | 77 | | Lambeth | 150 | | Lewisham | 141 | | Southwark | 167 | | Tower Hamlets | 175 | | Wandsworth | 158 | | Westminster | 126 | | Barking and Dagenham | 149 | | Barnet | 189 | | Bexley | 129 | | Brent | 173 | | Bromley | 155 | | Croydon | 193 | | Ealing | 187 | | Enfield | 184 | | Haringey | 143 | | Harrow | 114 | | Havering | 131 | | Hillingdon | 145 | | Hounslow | 125 | | Kingston upon Thames | 78 | | Merton | 97 | | Newham | 183 | | Redbridge | 158 | | Richmond upon Thames | 85 | | Sutton | 95 | | Waltham Forest | 164 | | **Total** | **4500** | This is a Pan London Programme, London will be divided into 6 clusters

The six Clusters are as follows:

**Project 1: £896,229** Hounslow, Ealing, Hillingdon, Brent, Richmond upon Thames

**Project 2: £966,423** Wandsworth, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Sutton, Croydon, Lambeth

**Project 3: £926,311** Southwark, Lewisham, Bromley, Greenwich, Bexley

**Project 4: £928,819** Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Barnet, Harrow, Haringey, Hammersmith and Fulham

**Project 5: £938,847** Enfield, City of London, Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Camden

**Project 6: £983,871** Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest | Priority and Borough | London Council Poverty Programme Project 1 | |---------------------|------------------------------------------| | | Hounslow, Ealing, Hillingdon, Brent, Richmond upon Thames |

| Project Name | | |--------------|---| | | |

| Project Timescale | | |-------------------|---| | Contract period | Start | End | | | 01/09/2016 | 30/09/2018 | | Final Evaluation | 31/12/2018 |

| Outputs for payment | Number | Unit cost | Total | |---------------------|--------|-----------|-------| | STARTS | 715 | £0 | £0 | | Number of participants receiving 6+ hours of support (IAG, job search, mentoring, training) | 90% | 641 | £400 | £256,400 | | Number of participants receiving 12+ hours of IAG support (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 6% | 43 | £500 | £21,500 | | Number of participants completing work placement/volunteering | 20% | 143 | £420 | £60,060 | | Submission of final evaluation report | 1 | £4,619.00 | £4,619.00 |

| Results for payment | Number | Unit cost | Total | |---------------------|--------|-----------|-------| | Number of participants into further education and training | 20% | 141 | £550 | £77,550 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project | 30% | 215 | £900 | £193,500 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks | 19% | 136 | £1,650 | £224,400 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 3% | 21 | £1,700 | £35,700 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks (6M) (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 1% | 9 | £2,500 | £22,500 |

| Maximum funding available | £896,229 | | Specification – Required outputs, results and unit costs | |----------------------------------------------------------| | **Priority and Borough** | | London Council Poverty Programme (P2) | | **Project Name** | | Wandsworth, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Sutton, Croydon, Lambeth | | **Project Timescale** | | Contract period 01/09/2016 30/09/2018 | | Final Evaluation 31/12/2018 | | **Outputs for payment** | | **Number** | **Unit cost** | **Total** | | STARTS | 771 | £0 | £0 | | Number of participants receiving 6+ hours of support (IAG, job search, mentoring, training) | 90% | 697 | £400 | £278,800 | | Number of participants receiving 12+ hours of IAG support (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 6% | 46 | £500 | £23,000 | | Number of participants completing work placement/volunteering | 20% | 154 | £420 | £64,680 | | Submission of final evaluation report | 1 | £4,843.00 | £4,843.00 | | **Results for payment** | | **Number** | **Unit cost** | **Total** | | Number of participants into further education and training | 20% | 154 | £550 | £84,700 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project | 30% | 231 | £900 | £207,900 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks | 19% | 146 | £1,650 | £240,900 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 3% | 23 | £1,700 | £39,100 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks (6M) (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 1% | 9 | £2,500 | £22,500 | | Maximum funding available | | | £966,423 | | Specification – Required outputs, results and unit costs | |----------------------------------------------------------| | **Priority and Borough** | | London Council Poverty Programme (P3) | | Southwark, Lewisham, Bromley, Greenwich, Bexley | | **Project Name** | | Southwark, Lewisham, Bromley, Greenwich, Bexley | | **Project Timescale** | | Contract period | | Start: 01/09/2016 | | End: 30/09/2018 | | Final Evaluation | | Start: 31/12/2018 | | **Outputs for payment** | | **Number** | **Unit cost** | **Total** | | STARTS | 739 | £0 | £0 | | Number of participants receiving 6+ hours of support (IAG, job search, mentoring, training) | 90% | 667 | £400 | £266,800 | | Number of participants receiving 12+ hours of IAG support (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 6% | 44 | £500 | £22,000 | | Number of participants completing work placement/volunteering | 20% | 148 | £420 | £62,160 | | Submission of final evaluation report | 1 | £4,951.00 | £4,951.00 | | **Results for payment** | | **Number** | **Unit cost** | **Total** | | Number of participants into further education and training | 20% | 148 | £550 | £81,400 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project | 30% | 222 | £900 | £199,800 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks | 19% | 140 | £1,650 | £231,000 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 3% | 21 | £1,700 | £35,700 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks (6M) (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 1% | 9 | £2,500 | £22,500 | | Maximum funding available | | | £926,311 | | Priority and Borough | London Council Poverty Programme (P4) | |---------------------|--------------------------------------| | | Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Barnet, Harrow, Haringey, Hammersmith and Fulham |

| Project Name | Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Barnet, Harrow, Haringey, Hammersmith and Fulham | |--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| Project Timescale | Contract period | Start | End | |-------------------|-----------------|-------|-----| | | | 01/09/2016 | 30/09/2018 | | | Final Evaluation | 31/12/2018 |

| Outputs for payment | Number | Unit cost | Total | |---------------------|--------|-----------|-------| | STARTS | 741 | £0 | £0 | | Number of participants receiving 6+ hours of support (IAG, job search, mentoring, training) | 90% | 666 | £400 | £266,400 | | Number of participants receiving 12+ hours of IAG support (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 6% | 44 | £500 | £22,000 | | Number of participants completing work placement/volunteering | 20% | 148 | £420 | £62,160 | | Submission of final evaluation report | 1 | £4,509.00 | £4,509.00 |

| Results for payment | Number | Unit cost | Total | |---------------------|--------|-----------|-------| | Number of participants into further education and training | 20% | 148 | £550 | £81,400 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project | 30% | 222 | £900 | £199,800 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks | 19% | 141 | £1,650 | £232,650 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 3% | 22 | £1,700 | £37,400 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks (6M) (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 1% | 9 | £2,500 | £22,500 | | Maximum funding available | | | £928,819 | | Specification – Required outputs, results and unit costs | |----------------------------------------------------------| | **Priority and Borough** | | London Council Poverty Programme (P5) | | **Project Name** | | Enfield, City of London, Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Camden | | **Project Timescale** | | Contract period | | Start: 01/09/2016 | | End: 30/09/2018 | | Final Evaluation | | Start: 31/12/2018 | | **Outputs for payment** | | **Number** | **Unit cost** | **Total** | | STARTS | 749 | £0 | £0 | | Number of participants receiving 6+ hours of support (IAG, job search, mentoring, training) | 90% | 675 | £400 | £270,000 | | Number of participants receiving 12+ hours of IAG support (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 6% | 45 | £500 | £22,500 | | Number of participants completing work placement/volunteering | 20% | 148 | £420 | £62,160 | | Submission of final evaluation report | 1 | £4,987.00 | £4,987.00 | | **Results for payment** | | **Number** | **Unit cost** | **Total** | | Number of participants into further education and training | 20% | 150 | £550 | £82,500 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project | 30% | 225 | £900 | £202,500 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks | 19% | 142 | £1,650 | £234,300 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 3% | 22 | £1,700 | £37,400 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks (6M) (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 1% | 9 | £2,500 | £22,500 | | Maximum funding available | | | £938,847 | | Priority and Borough | London Council Poverty Programme (P6) | |---------------------|--------------------------------------| | | Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest |

| Project Name | Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest | |--------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|

| Project Timescale | Contract period | Start | End | |-------------------|-----------------|-------|-----| | | | 01/09/2016 | 30/09/2018 | | | | Final Evaluation | 31/12/2018 |

| Outputs for payment | Number | Unit cost | Total | |---------------------|--------|-----------|-------| | STARTS | 785 | £0 | £0 | | Number of participants receiving 6+ hours of support (IAG, job search, mentoring, training) | 90% | 706 | £400 | £282,400 | | Number of participants receiving 12+ hours of IAG support (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 6% | 47 | £500 | £23,500 | | Number of participants completing work placement/volunteering | 20% | 156 | £420 | £65,520 | | Submission of final evaluation report | 1 | £4,551.00 | £4,551.00 |

| Results for payment | Number | Unit cost | Total | |---------------------|--------|-----------|-------| | Number of participants into further education and training | 20% | 157 | £550 | £86,350 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project | 30% | 236 | £900 | £212,400 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks | 19% | 149 | £1,650 | £245,850 | | Number of participants in employment within 4 weeks of leaving the project (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 3% | 24 | £1,700 | £40,800 | | Number of participants in sustained employment for 26 weeks (6M) (those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction, homeless) | 1% | 9 | £2,500 | £22,500 | | Maximum funding available | | | £983,871 | 3. Participant target groups

This section sets out information on the types of participants this programme will target. The London Councils ESF Poverty Programme aims to support a number of specific target groups.

There are certain activities that all projects are expected to deliver and you should consider them, together with the specification, carefully when designing your project and writing the tender.

All projects will be expected to recruit starters from these target groups to the minimum percentage as shown in the tables below – one individual may be in one or many of the target groups.

You will be expected to reach these target groups. Where you do not have experience in reaching and working with certain groups you will be expected to show and agreed partnership with a delivery partner with the required experience and outreach. A participant may fit into 1 or many of the target groups. If a recruit is not from any target group, you will still be expected to assist them either directly or through signposting.

**ESF Target Groups**

| Group | Percentage | |-------------------------------|------------| | Women | 51% | | Older People (50 years and over) | 18% | | Ethnic Minorities | 60% | | Disabled (self-declared) | 22% | | Lone Parents | 16% |

**Poverty Programme Targets**

3.1 a – Parents with long-term work limiting health conditions 7% 3.1 b - People with mental health needs 9% 3.2 - People from ethnic groups with low labour market participation rates 40% 3.3 – Women facing barriers to employment 37% 3.4 - People recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction or misuse 7% 3.5 - Additional target groups: homelessness 7%

We are looking for Applications that will show partnerships within each geographical area to deal with each target group or details on how you will reach these groups and assist them into employment. There are additional payments available ONLY for participants furthest from the Labour market; those recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction and the homeless. These payments are available when extra time for Information, Advice and Guidance and for a job start and sustainment of that job.

Payment may be withheld if the starters target groups percentages are not met.

Core Requirements

Eligibility of participants and definitions

In line with the ESF 2014-20 Operational Programme and Priority Axis 1, the London Councils Poverty programme 2016-18 will target exclusively long-term economically inactive and unemployed participants.

Unemployed - Unemployed are persons usually without work, available for work and actively seeking work. Persons considered as registered unemployed according to national definitions are always included even if they do not fulfil all three of these criteria.

Economically inactive - "Inactive" are persons currently not part of the labour force (in the sense that they are not employed or unemployed according to the definitions provided).

Long-term unemployed The definition varies with age:

- Youth long-term unemployed (\<25 years of age) = more than 6 months continuous spell of unemployment
- Adult long-term unemployed (25 years of age or more) = more than 12 months continuous spell of unemployment

Employed – People not Eligible for Programme. Employed persons are persons aged 15 and over who performed work for pay, profit or family gain or were not at work but had a job or business from which they were temporarily absent because of, for instance, illness, holidays, industrial dispute, and education or training.

This includes: Employees (people who work for a company and have their National Insurance paid directly from their wages) and Self-employed (people who work for themselves and generally pay their National Insurance themselves).

The target groups and the % of starters for each target group are listed below:

| Employment status | % | |----------------------------|------| | Economically Inactive (min)| 65% | | Long-term unemployed | 35% |

Where there are insufficient start volumes from the eligibility groups above and the Applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of London Councils that this is despite the Applicant’s concerted efforts, London Councils in agreement with the GLA may consider widening the eligibility criteria with respect to the employment status of participants.

Participants who are NEET (people aged 16-18 who are not in employment, education or training) are not eligible for the London Councils ESF Poverty Programme 2016-18. In effect, this means that all participants must be aged 19 or over.

Applicants should:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of the needs of their target group • demonstrate how planned provision is appropriate to meet employer need • show clearly how they will ensure they will deliver the target numbers of results • demonstrate that participant progression is integral to the design of the project • demonstrate how employer input has been included into the development and delivery of the project • show a well thought-out approach to childcare / replacement social care issues including clear links to local providers and/or regional or national strategies • demonstrate links with other relevant agencies or providers • include better off in work calculations when designing projects • show clear links to sources of employment (including flexible employment) and providers of job search or further learning activity • demonstrate a track record of providing successful employment advice, including self-employment • show that they will offer appropriate follow-up support to allow participants to move into, and sustain, employment successfully 3.1a – Adults with long-term health conditions

Participants should be parents, carers or legal guardians with dependent children, who are claiming a disability-related benefit or who self-declare that they have a disability or long-term work limiting health condition. A dependent child is defined as a person in a household aged 0-15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16-18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s).

In addition to the requirements listed, applicants should:

- demonstrate experience of working with participants with disabilities;
- demonstrate how they will work with employers to enable disabled parents to access flexible job opportunities/work experience;
- demonstrate how they will work with employers to raise awareness of their obligations around adjustment or customisation of the workplace and funding available to enable this;
- demonstrate how provision will enable participants to balance employment and childcare requirements;
- provide advice to participants on accessing child tax credits;
- show a well thought-out approach to childcare issues including clear links to local providers and/or regional or national strategies.

Organisations should additionally demonstrate:

- what experience they have of placing participants in work placements/voluntary work;
- what links they have with placement providers; and
- what support will be offered to participants whilst undertaking placements.

Projects should promote their services to participants through targeted outreach. Participants should receive training to update or provide skills relevant to demands in the labour market (including ICT and/or work readiness training as appropriate), and should be offered employment advice matched to their needs. Projects must also work with employers to identify and provide flexible job opportunities for participants.

Suggested strategic partners:

- Children’s Centres
- Jobcentre Plus
- Local Authority Early Years and Childcare Services
- National Childminding Association
- Schools
- Adult and children’s social services
- GP surgeries
- Local centres for independent living 3.1b - People with mental health needs

Projects should work with people with mental health conditions that affect their ability to access employment. Participants will either be people who have not been mandated to the Work Programme or those who have additional needs that are not being addressed by other mainstream education or training programmes. Mental Health Condition is self-declared by participants and is anything that they feel affects their ability to find work.

In addition to the requirements listed, applicants should:

- demonstrate experience of working with participants with specific types of mental health conditions;
- demonstrate how their planned activities will help participants to secure employment;
- demonstrate how they will work with employers to enable participants to access job opportunities;
- link to other provision, in particular, to run employability training alongside provision of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT);
- demonstrate links to and knowledge of local Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) provision where appropriate;
- demonstrate that this provision will not duplicate local IAPT provision;

Organisations should additionally demonstrate:

- what experience they have of placing participants in work placements/ voluntary work;
- what links they have with placement providers; and
- what support will be offered to participants whilst undertaking placements.

Projects should promote their services to participants through targeted outreach. Participants should receive training to update or provide skills relevant to demands in the labour market (including ICT and/or work readiness training as appropriate), and should be offered employment advice matched to their needs.

Suggested strategic partners:

Skills for Care GP surgeries Local NHS Mental Health Trusts Local Primary Care Trusts or their successors Adult social services departments Job Centre Plus Talking therapies (CBT) provision

Please see: http://www.iapt.nhs.uk/ 3.2 - People from ethnic groups with low labour market participation rates

This is an extremely diverse participant group, experiencing a range of training needs and barriers to employment. Children from some ethnic groups are significantly more likely to be living in child poverty than their peers. Projects should not attempt to deliver ‘blanket’ provision to all ethnic groups; instead, projects should demonstrate clear understanding of the needs of particular groups, and how these will be addressed.

In addition to the requirements listed projects should:

- communicate clearly who the target community are and how they are best placed to serve them;
- target groups currently experiencing particularly high levels of unemployment, for example the Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Somali communities (where other communities are targeted projects should provide evidence of need); and
- demonstrate links to ESOL providers that can be called upon where necessary;

Organisations should additionally demonstrate:

- what experience they have of placing participants in work placements/ voluntary work;
- what links they have with placement providers; and
- what support will be offered to participants whilst undertaking placements.

Projects should ensure that all provision is culturally sensitive. Project activities should include education, training, employment advice, support and guidance. Where participants indicate a need, the project should also provide advice on developing well-paid and rewarding self-employment. Activities should include integrated advice and guidance activities which include pre-employment training provision and practical and personal support for clients seeking employment, including initial assessment, CV-writing, interview practice, training needs analysis and skills for life provision as required.

Suggested strategic partner:

Jobcentre Plus Local CVS networks Community Groups 3.3 – Women facing barriers to employment

This is an extremely diverse participant group, experiencing a range of training needs and barriers to employment.

According to the Fawcett Society, the recession is worsening women’s already existing economic inequalities. In the last 12 months, 4.5 percent of the female workforce experienced redundancy compared with just three percent of men. \*

Many women are also currently losing their jobs due to disability related illness and losing Disability Living Allowance under new capability to work rules. \*\*

Crisis report 63% of homeless women aged between 30 and 49 singled out domestic abuse as the key reason why they had lost their homes. A lack of safe and stable accommodation may be a barrier to people particularly women leaving prison.

Women also face disproportionate levels of caring responsibilities, according to the report “London’s Poverty Profile” (Trust for London, 2011) there were over 250,000 children in London living in workless households between 2007/08 and 2009/10, meaning children in London are more likely than children in other regions to live in a household where no adult works. Two-thirds of children in workless households live in lone parent households\*\*\*.

Moreover, in some groups cultural sensitivities to women working outside the home may present particular challenges that need to be addressed positively and creatively.

Projects should promote their services to participants through targeted outreach. Projects must provide a comprehensive package of training and support including personal skills development, technical/vocational training, assertiveness training/confidence building, work readiness training, job-brokerage, work-placements and labour market information. Projects should:

- not attempt to deliver ‘blanket’ provision to all women, instead projects should demonstrate clear understanding of the needs of particular groups and how theses should be addressed.
- describe the full range of support they offer to participants.
- Describe what experience they have of placing participants in work placements/voluntary work;
- Explain what links they have with placement providers; and
- Explain what support will be offered to participants whilst undertaking placements.

In addition to the requirements listed on page 50, applicants should:

- demonstrate how provision will enable participants to balance employment and childcare requirements; • provide advice to participants on accessing child tax credits; • show a well thought-out approach to childcare issues including clear links to local providers and/or regional or national strategies;

* [http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=321](http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=321) \*\* [www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/London%20Councils/3.Poverty.pdf](http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/London%20Councils/3.Poverty.pdf)

\*\*\*A dependent child is defined as a person in a household aged 0 - 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16-18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s).

| Suggested strategic partner: | |-----------------------------| | Job Centre Plus | | Local Education Authorities | | Local Schools | | Children’s Centres | | Families Information Service| | GP surgeries | 3.4 - People recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction or misuse

People recovering from addiction face a range of issues affecting their chances of progression towards the workplace. London Councils wishes all six projects to work with people in recovery from drug and/or alcohol addiction.

- demonstrate that they work in an established partnership with treatment providers and Drug and Alcohol Action Teams or have the knowledge and ability to do so;
- demonstrate knowledge of local DAAT commissioning processes;
- provide employability skills development including timekeeping, interview skills, presentation skills and money management, and building participants’ confidence and self-esteem;
- show how they will encourage participants to deal with their health issues, including mental health needs;
- provide support to participants around discussing sensitive issues with employers, such as substance misuse history, disclosure of criminal records, and relapse;
- provide direct support or signposting to other services for participants with housing issues;
- integrate peer-led support into the training and support offered;
- work with employers to address the issue of discrimination against people recovering from addiction to drugs and/or alcohol;
- demonstrate how they will increase employers’ understanding of this target group including issues of relapse management; and
- demonstrate an understanding of how the project would integrate with other complementary provision available locally and of care coordination across several providers.

Organisations should additionally demonstrate:

- what experience they have of placing participants in work placements/ voluntary work;
- what links they have with placement providers; and
- what support will be offered to participants whilst undertaking placements.

Projects should promote their services to potential participants by working closely with treatment providers. Participants should receive training to update or provide skills relevant to demands in the labour market (including ICT and/or work readiness training as appropriate), and should be offered employment advice matched to their needs and aspirations. Project staff should make links with the area’s Jobcentre Plus drug co-ordinator(s) and work with employers to increase their understanding of the target group.

Suggested strategic partners:

- Local Drug and Alcohol Action Teams
- Local Authority Social Services Department
- Local Probation Services
- Local Drug Intervention Programme Service
- Registered Social Landlords and Local Authority Housing Departments
- Jobcentre Plus drug co-ordinators 3.5 Additional target groups: homelessness

London Councils is currently reviewing its grants programme. The review has shown that there is a desire amongst many of the London boroughs to make stronger links between funding targeted at tackling unemployment and homelessness, reflecting the interdependence of these two areas. With this in mind we will be expecting you to work with homeless beneficiaries.

Homelessness is a major cause and consequence of unemployment.

- Only 2 per cent of homeless people are in full-time employment. 12 per cent work part-time. 13 per cent do voluntary work. 2
- 57 per cent of homeless people have been unemployed for three years or more. 3

There are a number of barriers that homeless people face in seeking employment. These include practical issues associated with not having secure accommodation as well as issues related to self-esteem and skills.

In addition to the requirements listed on page 50, applicants should:

- Demonstrate that they have experience of working with beneficiaries that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
- provide direct support or signposting to other housing/ homelessness related services.

Targets groups include beneficiaries living in temporary accommodation, rough sleepers, and those at risk of homelessness. This includes young people at risk of homelessness.

This programme has increased payments for participants within this group which reflects the extra resources often required to help these people into sustained work.

Suggested strategic partner:

London Councils funds eight projects to tackle homelessness. Details can be found on the London Councils online directory [http://www.grants.londoncouncils.gov.uk/](http://www.grants.londoncouncils.gov.uk/)

Local authority housing departments

Housing associations

______________________________________________________________________

2 [http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/work-and-skills.html](http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/work-and-skills.html)

3 [http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/work-and-skills.html](http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/work-and-skills.html) 4. Added value

London Councils and ESF wish to support projects that could not be delivered without its funding and which bring additional benefits to local provision and individuals. This is called ‘added value’.

Your project may provide added value because it increases the number of people who receive the support they need to move towards work, or because it allows you to do more for people than would otherwise be permitted by other funding streams. Alternatively, this funding may allow you to continue existing activity which would otherwise be cut back or it may allow you to develop new activities or to fill a gap in provision.

Subject to the eligibility criteria in Section 6, organisations which receive a grant from any London Councils or ESF grants programme are welcome to apply for funding under this programme. However, your application should make very clear what additional activity, outputs or achievements you will deliver through this project. Organisations which have previously received a London Councils grant should note that, unlike other grants, the programme cannot fund general organisational costs, only those which relate solely to the cost of the ESF funded project.

Other Pan London Programmes

Where possible applicants are expected to work with the Big Lottery Fund

– ILM Health & Disability Programme Projects.

- Common Mental Health Programme Projects – BAME Women Health Programme Projects

You must ensure there no duplication of participants or activities.

https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/global-content/programmes/england/building-better-opportunities/london 5. Partnership working

Because you are expected to form partnerships with other deliverers in order to recruit people from all target groups. You will be scored accordingly. So please take time to secure agreements with other providers – failure to not detail how all target groups will be recruited and assisted will mean your Bid may fail.

As part of the London Councils grants scheme we fund a number of projects dealing with homelessness. London Councils funds eight projects to tackle homelessness. Details can be found on the London Councils online directory [http://www.grants.londoncouncils.gov.uk/](http://www.grants.londoncouncils.gov.uk/)

Here you can also find projects we fund on a Borough by Borough basis.

You are expected to work with the 8 homeless project London Councils already fund, and recruit individuals and/or work with the projects themselves to provide IAG and job search, duplication of outputs and results is not allowed.

London Councils wishes to support effective partnership working in project delivery. In particular, we strongly advise delivery organisations to work with partners where complementary expertise is required to deliver a full package of support. For example, where specialist training outside of the provider’s core competencies is required, we would prefer that this provision be outsourced to an experienced specialist provider, rather than providers attempting to establish a new training resource.

Partnerships should also be considered where they will help ensure that projects can meet London Councils’ requirement for projects to work across London (see section 9 below).

We expect that providers will have established, or be in the final stages of establishing, partnerships prior to submitting their application. All providers intending to work in formal partnership (i.e. where the lead partner will be paying other partners) must submit partnership agreements with their tender which formalise roles and responsibilities within the partnership.

As a minimum, a partnership agreement should contain sections on:

- who the partners are
- roles and responsibilities of each partner
- the timescale for delivery
- equal opportunities (that the partner must ensure equality of opportunity in line with the lead partner’s equal opportunities policy and London Councils and ESF requirements)
- the other cross-cutting themes: sustainable development and health
- monitoring (including which information the partner is required to keep and how often they are expected to report to the lead partner)
- termination
- finance and payments (including how much money will be paid to the partner organisation by the lead organisation, what the money will cover)
- deadlines for reporting to the lead partner • It is the lead partner’s responsibility to ensure it holds all records relating to any aspect of delivery of the project (including those of partners) until December 2026. This is in line with ESF rules on document retention in ESF Programme Guidance [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-programme-guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-programme-guidance).

• Publicity [Branding and publicity requirements for the 2014 to 2020 European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-programme-guidance)

This type of agreement ensures that project delivery by project partners takes place as discussed and ensures that each partner is clear about what it needs to achieve as part of the project. 6. Eligibility criteria

London Councils will only fund organisations that are:

- **Not for Profit:** The London Councils grants committee cannot fund organisations that make a profit. However, London Councils can fund social enterprises and other organisations that generate surpluses, as long as the organisation’s governing documents show that the surplus is reinvested. This must be reflected in the accounts the organisation gives us.

- **Constituted:** Organisations funded by London Councils must have a constitution or governing document that is signed and dated, and defines how the organisation will operate. A governing document can be a formal constitution, a memorandum or articles of association.

- **Able to work across more than one London borough:** The legislation that governs London Councils only allows it to fund organisations that deliver services in more than one London borough.

- **Financially solvent:** Organisations funded by London Councils must not have liabilities that are more than their current assets.

- **Not a public or local authority body:** The legislation that governs London Councils does not allow it to fund public bodies such as NHS trusts, local authorities, state schools or colleges.

- **Prepared to deliver the project in London:** London Councils’ funding is given to it by London boroughs, to benefit people who live in London. Therefore, project participants must live in London.

- **Able to begin delivery of project activity on 1st September 2016.**

London Councils will not assess funding proposals from any organisation that does not meet the conditions listed above. 7. Submitting an Application

a. Before you begin writing your application

There are certain conditions for this funding that are outlined in the following sections. Please read this guidance carefully before completing the tender form and consult one of our advisors (please see Section 20) if anything is unclear.

If your organisation has previously applied for funding from London Councils, you are welcome to reapply in this round. However, please note that some changes have been made to the tender form and to the process itself, as well as to the way in which London Councils will fund projects under this round. Therefore, London Councils has set clear guidelines on the type of project it will fund for each target group. If you have any queries or need further guidance or support in putting together your tender, please contact one of the London Councils grants officers. If you would like discussion and advice on your project idea and possible help with partnership forming, you may also contact London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC). They are planning to run 1:1 surgeries and workshops. It may be necessary to make an appointment to speak to LVSC and applicants are treated on a first come first served basis. All contacts are listed in Section 20.

Applications for the London Councils ESF Poverty Programme 2016-2018 have to be submitted through an online application process:

https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_668?SA=SNA&FID=35065

Deadline for all applications: 12 noon, 22nd June 2016 Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered for any reason.

Leave yourself enough time to complete, review and amend the information you provide, upload the required documents and submit your online form before the deadline. Deadline days are often busy and you may not be able to reach a member of London Councils staff if you have any technical queries with submitting the form.

All applications must be submitted through the online form and the Annexes provided on the Programme’s website, which, together with the prospectus and plan, can be downloaded from here:

http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/grants/esf

The online tender form includes guidance for each section you need to complete and Annexes you need to upload. The person scoring your application can only assess the information stated in your application. You must assume that they know nothing about your organisation, or the needs of your community, so be clear about what activities you are going to do and for whom.

b. **Things to remember about your online form**

Once you have created a log-in to our form, you can save your on-line application at any point and come back to it later.

Once you have saved your on-line application you can open and change the form from any computer.

c. **Help: If you need further assistance/information.**

- Firstly read this guidance section.
- Secondly refer to the FAQs (these will be updated regularly) [http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/node/29213](http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/node/29213)

d. Thirdly if you still have not been able to find an answer then please email us. Your question and our response will be posted on the FAQs page. **Completing your online application form**

i. **Step one: Create an account login and access the online form**

Click on the following link [https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_668?SA=SNA&FID=35058](https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_668?SA=SNA&FID=35058) to create a login and access a new form, (or copy and paste into your internet address bar).

Now you will see this screen, where you create your account and login.

- Click on ‘New Applicant’
- You will be taken to a new page New Applicant?

An account allows you to access your saved and submitted applications at any time, also allows us to send you a submission confirmation e-mail and notify you if additional information is necessary to process your application.

- Enter your email address. The email address must work as we will be using this to contact you about your application and you need it to access a form that you have already started.
- Verify your email address (by typing it again)
- Create a password. It must be at least five letters long - for example -‘Lychee’.
- Verify password (by typing it again)
- Click on the button marked ‘continue’ and you will move straight into the online form.

You must remember your email address and password as you will need it every time you log into your account.

You can save and close your form, by clicking on ‘save and finish later’ now and at any time and return to the form by accessing your account.

To return to your account (where you can access forms already started) click on: https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_668

ii. Step two: Complete the online form

This part of the guidance includes details on how to complete the online tender form.

1. Technical help for using the online form

The information below will take you through how to use the online form to answer the questions. For most of the form you are asked to simply type your answers into a box under the question.

Sometimes you are required to tick a box, select from options or upload a document. The guidance on completing each section is included within the question, upload area or the set template.

You will only be able to write in plain text within the answer boxes, therefore you will not be able to use formatting features (e.g. bolding, underlining, resizing and spacing). You can structure your text by adding line breaks and empty rows. Please bear in mind that scorers will have large amounts of information to process, and that it is in your interest to be as clear and concise as possible.

**Mandatory fields**

You must answer all questions marked with a purple diamond. If you do not answer these questions you will not be able to submit your application.

**Spell check**

Where you see a red tick you can click on it to perform a spell check.

**Word limit**

There is a word limit to some questions. Where this is the case the counter will show you how many words are left from the total allowed. Please note that row breaks will not count toward the word count.

**Attachments**

You will be required to upload a number of attachments to your tender form.

______________________________________________________________________

**Before you can attach the documents online you need electronic versions of your documents saved onto your computer.**

Retain the original format and file extension for all the set templates.

If you don’t have electronic copies of other documents to be uploaded (e.g. Constitution) then you can scan the paper copies and save them in a folder on your computer.

The maximum size for all attachments combined is 50MB. Files with .exe .com .vbs or .bat will not upload.

______________________________________________________________________

Uploading a document is similar to attaching a document to an email.

- To do this click on the ‘browse’ button next to the attachment you wish to upload.
- This will take you to documents on your pc/network. Search for the correct folder.
- Select the correct document and click ‘open’. • Now click on the button ‘upload’. • If you do not click ‘upload’ your document will not be uploaded to the form. • If you have uploaded the wrong document simply click on ‘remove’.

2. **How to save, print and return to your form**

**Saving your work**

Once you are into the question part of the form you can save what you’ve done and come back to it at any point by pressing the ‘save and finish later’ button.

We strongly advise you to save your form as you go along. If you have not saved and your computer crashes you will lose all your work.

Once you have saved your work you will be taken to this screen (below). Simply click on your proposal and carry on working.

To return to your form

Click on the following link. [https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_668?SA=AM](https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_668?SA=AM)

Log into your account using the email and password you created at the log in stage. You will see the screen above. To go back to your un-submitted application make sure the drop down menu states ‘In Progress Applications’ click onto the link to go back to your form.

If you have submitted your form you can still view it as a link under the ‘Submitted Applications’ in the drop down menu.

**To print**

Click Save and finish, come back to your form. Click on button ‘printer friendly version’ to print. Please note you always need to **click ‘save’ before printing** your application so that your most up to date version prints out.

Do not send us your printed version; simply use it to check your work. **London Councils can only accept online applications** (unless in exceptional circumstances in which a group has written in advance (by 20 April 2016) to seek permission).

Additionally, if you are a disability led organisation and need additional time to complete the tender process, London Councils need to be informed of this by the 20 April 2016 where they will take a decision. Where an extension is awarded London Councils will do this in writing before the standard submittal deadline. Requests for extensions received after 20 April 2016 will not be considered.

### 3. Completing the form – questions

The online tender form is divided into five main sections:

1. Introduction;
2. Your organisation;
3. Your proposed service;
4. Document Submission;
5. Declaration;
6. Review my application

#### 1. Introduction

The form starts with introductory text covering the assessment of applications. Please read this carefully.

The information below will give you guidance on the information required to answer each question.

**Documents you will need:**

- The first page of the form tells you exactly which documents you will need to upload as part of your tender form;
- There are 16 required documents to complete and upload to your tender.
- For some of the attachments, a set template has been created (marked with asterisk on the Introduction page’s attachment listing). You will be required to use these templates and you can download them from the tendering round’s website.
- Most attachments are compulsory to complete. These are marked with the sign;
- Some attachments only apply if your proposed project has delivery partners

2. Your organisation

Give details of the lead organisation applying for the funding on this page of the tender form.

You will also need to upload in the documents submission section:

- a signed and dated copy of your constitution or memorandum and articles of association and
- a copy of your public and employer’s liability insurance certificates on this page.

3. Your project summary

Provide general information about your project on this page. This includes the:

- project title;
- specification you are applying for;
- delivery start and end dates;
- project summary;
- delivery partner details (including two attachments if applicable);
- contact details for referee.

4. Declaration

This is the final page of the form. You must select ‘yes’ from the drop down menu if you agree that:

- You have read and understood the information contained in the London Councils Tendering Prospectus;
- the proposed activity is within the objects of your organisation's constitution;
- London Councils will share the application form and its contents with the participating boroughs and the City of London Corporation;
- this application has the support of your organisation's governing committee/board of trustees/senior management;
- all the information you have supplied is accurate;
- the information you have supplied about the proposed service is a realistic indication of what your organisation could achieve.

**IMPORTANT:**

You must select ‘YES’ for your tender to be assessed.

**Requirements**

We are not permitted to consider any additional information received after the application deadline so please make sure that you have included all the required information and attachments.

If you are aware that submitting an application may give rise to a potential conflict of interest please inform the London Councils. A conflict of interest maybe where you are related to a member or staff officer of London Councils or you have privileged information about London Councils that places you at an unfair advantage over other applicants in the application process.

London Councils is subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. You should be aware that the information you submit may be subject to a request for information from the public and London Councils may be required to provide information to external parties. Data protection

Part or all of the information you give us will be held on computer and used for statistical purposes. It will also be used for the administration of applications and awards. We may provide copies of the information in confidence to individuals or organisations that are helping us assess applications or monitor funding. We may also be required to provide information contained in your application if we receive freedom of information request.

Finishing the form

- Now you are at the end of the form you may:

  - You may wish to save and finish later. You may wish to print a copy to proof read it and save it.
  - When you are ready to submit – click on ‘review and submit’
  - If you have left any mandatory fields blank, or submitted the wrong kind of information (for example text in a box that can only accept numbers) a list of errors will appear in red as below.

- The red warning sign and red text will then appear next to any field that you need to amend.

- IMPORTANT: Once you have amended the fields, click on the button marked ‘update’ or the changes will not be saved. Once you have amended the fields and clicked ‘update’ a final version will appear for you to review.

Once you are happy click on the button marked ‘submit’

You will be taken to your account page, where you will see the following message.

**Important information**

You **must click ‘submit’** to send each application.

You will automatically be sent a confirmation email with a copy of your submitted form.

If you do not receive a confirmation email, you have not submitted your online form correctly.

Please check and submit again.

Once submitted you cannot amend your form but you can view it through your account. 8. **Horizontal Principles** (Formerly Cross Cutting Themes)

London Councils’ ESF Poverty Programme 2016–2018 will focus on the following ESF Investment Priorities:

**Priority Axis 1 – Inclusive labour Markets**

Priority 1.1 Access to Employment for Job-Seekers and Inactive People

There are also two Horizontal Principles which must be addressed in each funded project: Sustainable Development and Equal Opportunities and Non-Discrimination.

**Sustainable development**

As part of the application process you will have to illustrate how you have considered and integrated into your project all the three elements of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental. There will also be an accompanying sustainable development checklist that you will have to complete and you should use this to identify the activity that you will provide further information on in the sustainable development section of the application form.

The objectives of the ESF programme will be pursued in line with the principle of sustainable development, including the aim of preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment as well as the need to prepare for expected changes to the environment and climate. The programme will build on the approach adopted in the 2007-2013 ESF programme and the lessons learned during that programme.

The ESF will support complementary activity, where possible, through skills enhancement and training, for sustainable development projects directly supported by other programmes such as the ERDF.

The nature of the London Councils ESF Poverty Programme and the activities it will fund will contribute to sustainable development by achieving progress that recognises the needs of everyone and assists participants towards social inclusion and independent living through employment. Your application should demonstrate how you will ensure long-term outcomes for participants.

Your application should demonstrate an understanding of the need for good environmental performance and management in keeping with the ethos and achievement of sustainable development in the UK. All projects will be required to consider impact in relation to: energy, water, waste, purchasing and transport. You should also demonstrate how you will integrate relevant aspects of sustainable development into courses you run and/or use the environment as a medium for training delivery.

You are required to provide a copy of your sustainable development and/or environmental policy at the application stage. If your organisation doesn’t have a sustainable development policy, please include a statement with your tender explaining that the organisation does not yet have a sustainable development policy. Any organisation selected for London Councils ESF Poverty Programme funding that does not yet have a sustainable development policy will be required to implement such a policy by the end of the first year of delivery. The Managing Authority will require all Co-financing Organisations, Intermediate Bodies and Local Action Groups to ensure that sustainable development requirements are covered in their overall aims and decision making, project selection/procurement arrangements, contract management and monitoring (for both ESF and match funding). This requirement will also apply to the selection and management of projects which contract directly with the Managing Authority.

The Managing Authority will use ESF technical assistance funding to part-fund a sustainable development awareness training programme for Managing Authority, Intermediate Body and Co-financing Organisation procurement, contract management and monitoring staff during 2014-2020.

Provider contracts will be monitored. This will include basic checks such as ensuring that sustainable development policies and implementation plans are in place and that appropriate action is being taken to implement them.

The Managing Authority and Co-financing Organisations will ensure that sustainable development requirements are embedded into the specifications and contracts for ESF-funded and match-funded support.

The Managing Authority and Co-financing Organisations will ensure that relevant calls for proposals will, wherever possible, actively and visibly encourage applications which support ESF activities that have a specific environmental focus (whilst also supporting jobs or skills) and provide complementary training support for specialist sustainable development activities delivered by other programmes such as ERDF.

A separate Strategic Environmental Assessment is not required because: (a) the programme is not designed to support agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, industry, transport, waste management, water management, telecommunications, tourism, town and country planning or land use; and (b) the programme does not set the framework for development consent in respect of projects listed in the EIA Directive or other projects which are likely to have significant environmental effects.

**Equal opportunities and non-discrimination**

The programme will promote equal opportunities and non-discrimination. The MA and all delivery partners will adhere to the principles and processes set out in EU and UK equality legislation.

The UK Government has adopted the following principles to further integrate promotion of equality into the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation actions of the programme:

- no exclusion on the grounds of protected characteristics;
- projects are designed to meet the needs of all potential participants;
- services are responsive to the needs of all communities and under-represented groups;
- support is targeted towards under-represented communities where relevant;
- responsiveness to, and inclusiveness of, under-represented groups in delivery and management. The 2014-20 programme will build on the lessons learned from the 2007-13 programmes, including the findings of an evaluation of the mainstreaming of gender equality and equal opportunities within the ESF in England in 2010(^4), a research report on engaging women in ESF provision published in 2011(^5) and an evidence report(^48) published in August 2013 on helping disabled people.

The Managing Authority will prepare a programme-level equal opportunities and gender equality mainstreaming plan in consultation with the relevant Programme Monitoring Committee (PMC) sub-committee - performance will be regularly reported.

The Managing Authority will ensure that equality is embedded in all relevant ESF guidance manuals, cross referring to existing good practice guidance and key lessons learned from the 2007-2013 programme. The Managing Authority will, from time to time, seek advice from disability and other equality organisations when preparing calls for proposals to help ensure that any calls/specifications will help meet the needs of people with relevant protected characteristics.

The good practice guidance in promoting gender equality includes a checklist which will be used to help inform core criteria for project selection along with other equality-related criteria.

The Managing Authority will require all Co-financing Organisations, Intermediate Bodies and Local Action Groups to ensure that the principle of equal opportunities is embedded in project selection/procurement arrangements, contract management and monitoring. This requirement will also apply to the selection and management of projects which contract directly with the Managing Authority.

The Managing Authority will use ESF technical assistance funding to part-fund an equal opportunities awareness training programme for Managing Authority, Intermediate Body and Co-financing Organisation procurement, contract management and monitoring staff during 2014-2020. Key staff from local partners, including LEPs and projects, will also be invited to the workshops. Workshop material will be made available to staff who are unable to attend the workshops.

The groups we are targeting through the 2014-20 programme include long term unemployed people, inactive people, lone parents, disabled people, people from ethnic minorities, ex-offenders, young people and older people, and we have set output targets to ensure that we help appropriate numbers of these people. The strategy section makes clear that as the economy improves our focus will increasingly be on those who face multiple disadvantages.

All ESF activities should be accessible to disabled people and responsive to their needs. The investment priorities on access to employment and active inclusion can support activities focused on improving the employability of disabled people and those with health conditions. The active inclusion investment priority will help those furthest from employment and who often experience other disadvantages. The investment priority for

(^4) Evaluation of Gender Equality & Equal Opportunities within the European Social Fund by Carol McNaughton Nicholls, Martin Mitchell, Ashley Brown, Nulifer Rahim, Emma Drever and Cheryl Lloyd

(^5) Skills Funding Agency: Engaging unemployed women in ESF funded training: research by National Institute of Adult Continuing Education for the Skills Funding Agency. September 2011 the sustainable integration of young people will help those who are NEET or at risk of being NEET and have learning difficulties and disabilities.

People from ethnic minorities should be able to access ESF provision in all investment priorities. Interventions must be tailored to the needs of people from different ethnic minority groups in each locality, and where appropriate targeted on specific groups. There is a strong case for interventions targeted at groups with low employment and high inactivity rates in the access to employment and active inclusion investment priorities, e.g. women of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin, especially in areas with high concentrations of people from ethnic minorities.

Activities in the access to employment, active inclusion and access to lifelong learning investment priorities will respond to the needs of older people. Specific activities will be delivered to help improve the participation of older women, depending on local needs.

**Equality between men and women**

Although female participation in the English labour market has increased, there is still a gender gap in employment of 11.7% with a male employment rate of 81.6% and a female rate of 69.9% (for those aged 20-64). Part of the gap can be attributed to different levels of inactivity in the labour market (26.1% for women and 13.5% for men, aged 20-64 in England). LFS data show that, at a UK level, 25% of inactive women would be interested in working.

The ONS report ‘Women in the Labour Market’ (2013) explained that the low ranking for female employment rates in London and Birmingham was linked to the diverse ethnic population with some women not in work due to looking after families. Looking at the most recent city data, Birmingham has the lowest employment rate for women (55.9% for women aged 16-64). Help should be aimed at inactive women from ethnic minorities in England’s cities, including those with caring responsibilities (child or elder care) and who are multiply disadvantaged.

The extension of the state pension age for women has increased the number of older women in the scope of unemployment. Since 2010 there are more older (over 50) women in work and more looking for work – employment is up 655,000 and unemployment up 14,000 (UK figures). Disadvantaged older women should be targeted for support if they wish to find work (or stay in work).

Some women want to work longer hours. There are 4.8 million females in England who work part-time and 1.5 million males. The majority work part-time because they want to – figures are not available for England but at a UK level, only 743,000 out of 6.07 million women (12.2%) work part-time because they couldn’t find a full-time job.

ESF will be used to help address these issues. The types of activities and specific groups we envisage include:

- Inactive women from ethnic minorities, including those with child or elder care responsibilities, and who are often multiply disadvantaged. Barriers include: childcare; lack of skills or work experience due to starting family at a young age; no opportunity to acquire skills before starting a family; possible cultural / psychological issues. Activities for ESF support include innovative outreach support to help people connect with mainstream support and also holistic support with a vocational focus. (IP 1.4).

- Lone parents. Barriers include: inflexible jobs/employers (poor work/life balance), concerns about possible financial instability and lack of skills/recent skills. Examples of activities to be supported include job search skills, vocational training, remedial training and basic skills support. (IP 1.1).

- Disadvantaged older unemployed women. Barriers include age discrimination, low confidence and elder care responsibilities. Activities to be supported include job search training, skills refresher training and mentoring/ confidence building.

- Women who are inactive but who would be interested in working. Barriers include lack of motivation and confidence, lack of skills, outdated skills and difficulties in travelling to work. Activities to be supported include confidence building support, job-search training, job-specific training, work experience and mentoring support. (IP 1.1)

- Women seeking career advancement and/or progressing from part-time to full-time work, or at least increasing their hours at work. Barriers include seasonal work, sectors with a high concentration of part-time work and age (younger people are more likely to be underemployed). Activities to be supported include upskilling/vocational qualifications and identifying progression routes. (IP 2.1)

The Managing Authority, Co-financing Organisations, Intermediate Bodies and Local Action Groups will be required to promote gender equality when preparing their calls for proposals or procurement rounds. Project applicants submitting tenders or applications will be required to explain how they will actively promote gender equality through the design and delivery of their projects. For example, a tender specification for in-work training should require the applicant organisation to explain how it will ensure that female employees will have access to support, including those who may be working part-time and/or have childcare needs.

Providers targeting disadvantaged people and other groups in the programme are also required under the Equality Act 2010 to do so with a corresponding gender focus. This will include actively encouraging more women to take part in the programme, as well as making sure that the type and nature of support offered is appropriate and helps meet the needs of women, including disadvantaged women.

Programme providers will be expected to consider the needs of women in a number of key areas of design and delivery of their services, for example by:

- promoting gender equality throughout their recruitment process;
- offering information, advice and guidance;
- providing or procuring childcare support where this might be a barrier to participation;
- ensuring that the structure and content of the activities delivered are suitable and appropriate for women and men;
- ensuring that provision is accessible, flexible and gender-sensitive where necessary. The Managing Authority will ensure that there is regular monitoring of the participation rates for women and men. Results data will also be monitored and the Managing Authority will report on performance to the PMC and local ESIF committees.

9. Geographical targeting

London Councils is a membership organisation whose members are the 32 London Boroughs and the City of London Corporation. The London Councils ESF Programme will fund projects across Greater London subject to the conditions listed in Section 6 above. In addition, London Councils is committed to ensuring that services funded through the programme are delivered in each London Borough.

It is not expected that each provider will work in every London borough. However, we will ask you in your application to recruit the minimum number of starters per Borough for the cluster you choose to bid for.

Table 2.1 list the Boroughs and the number of participants to be recruited in each of those Boroughs. You will be expected to meet the full recruitment for an individual.

Borough coverage will be used as a deciding factor when awarding or entering into agreement negotiations with organisations. This may mean that London Councils does not award agreements to the highest scoring bidder against all specifications. 10. Project activities and results

London Councils has consulted with the GLA on the types of activities and outcomes they expect from their ESF funded projects. In order to avoid duplication, London Councils will fund projects that work with very specific participant target groups (please see Section 9). All applicants must demonstrate that their project has a focus on progression towards employment and should include evidence to support this. Applicants should demonstrate not only that they understand the needs of the participants, but also that the training and support to be provided are relevant to employer needs.

The aim of this funding round is to move individuals closer to and into the labour market, through a range of support. It is recognised that not all participants will be able to move directly into employment at the end of the project so there is an additional focus on progression to further education. Where employment is a realistic target for individual participants, this is the preferred outcome.

Outputs/ results for payment:

All payments on the London Councils ESF Poverty Programme 2016-18 will be made based on outputs and results. Your project will have a target number of results to be delivered. Payments will be made up to the target number (please see Section 2 for details of unit costs).

Outputs

Participant receiving six or more hours of one-to-one support

On the London Councils ESF Poverty Programme 2016-18 payments are not made for enrolments. Instead, a payment will be made against participants who receive six or more hours of one-to-one support. Providers may enrol additional participants as they wish to or have capacity for, but the minimum target per Borough must be enrolled. London Councils’ ESF Poverty programme’s remit to assist the furthest from the labour market means that for a positive intervention, the majority of participants would need six or more hours of support.

Please note:

- Six hours of support is a milestone which, when passed, allows the project to claim a payment. London Councils requires providers to respond appropriately to participants’ needs; those who need a longer intervention in order to secure success should be accommodated and supported effectively throughout.
- The six hours of one-to-one support will not include the time taken to register the participant. Time spent doing the induction, needs assessments, action plans and giving information, advice and guidance may be counted. Class work or other group sessions may not be counted within the six hours.
- It is recognised that some participants who do not receive six hours of support may still benefit from the programme successfully. Therefore, a result (employment or progression to further education) may be claimed against any eligible participant, whether or not they have received six hours of support. Any participant for whom a result is claimed must have been enrolled and reported in accordance with London Councils ESF Programme procedures and have at the minimum of one hour IAG. London Councils expects all projects to provide childcare for participants as required in order to enable them to access the programme.

**Participant receiving 12 or more hours of one-to-one support**

- This output is only eligible for those who are hardest to help and furthest from the job market and who require additional support about the usual.
- Only persons eligible are, Homeless, Persons recovering from drug and alcohol abuse, ex-offenders.
- All other rules from the 6 hours + IAG payment apply.

**Participant completing work placement**

Initial results of the London Councils ESF Programme 2016-18 indicate that participants who undertake work placements are more likely to secure employment after leaving the programme than those who do not. London Councils wishes to increase the focus on work placements for the 2016-18 programme and has included work placements as an output for payment. **Please note:**

- In order to be claimed as an output for payment, the participant must have completed the work placement.
- Work placements are time-limited interventions, giving participants experience of real-life work situations in order to assist them in developing skills, understanding work environments and the expectations of employers. There should be a progression towards paid employment, but the participant should not receive financial compensation for their work (though they may gain financial support with out of pocket expenses e.g. travel, childcare etc.). They should include a structured on-placement training/work plan which takes into account both participant and employer needs and on-placement support to both employer and participant should be provided.

Work placements must be for a fixed period of time totalling not less than 30 hours, over a period of time not exceeding twelve weeks. This can include volunteering as long as it meets the criteria outlined above. Results

Participant gaining employment within four weeks of leaving the project

A payment will be made for participants who gain employment within four weeks of leaving the London Councils ESF project. To be claimed, employment must be for 8 or more hours each week. This may be working for an employer or in self-employment.

Participant in employment sustained for six months

A further payment will be made for participants who sustain employment for six months. To claim this result, the participant must have started in employment within four weeks of leaving the London Councils ESF project. The participant must be in employment for at least 26 weeks of the 32 weeks since leaving the project or starting employment (whichever is earlier). Employment does not necessarily need to be with the same employer for the whole period, but all employment must have clear evidence.

All sustained employment results must be claimed within the project lifetime. This means that sustained employment cannot be claimed against any participant who starts employment after 31st March 2018.

Applicants should ensure that the cost of tracking all participants for six months plus any additional post-project support offered is built into the project budget.

Participant engaged moving into education or training on leaving

A payment will be made for participants who undertake further education or training after leaving your project.

Education or training:

- can include formal academic or vocational education and less formal skills development training (including soft outcomes);
- can be claimed at any time within six months of leaving;
- cannot be claimed within the organisation or partnership for activities that were listed as part of the project. Referrals internally or to a delivery partner may be claimed for activities outside the scope of the project (as defined within the tender) where added value can be clearly demonstrated
- must add value to the ESF project activities (i.e. is outside the scope of the ESF project) and must be a significant step to help the participant to progress towards their ultimate vocational goals as set out in their Individual Action Plan
- As a guideline a minimum of 30 hours’ of classes is considered necessary to achieve this payment, for certain participants it may be necessary for this to be split into a number of shorter courses which is acceptable.

Submission of an external final evaluation

A final, external evaluation will be required for all projects funded by the London Councils ESF Poverty Programme 2016-18.

______________________________________________________________________

6 Employment outcomes can be claimed for participants that enter employment whilst receiving support from the project or within four weeks of their last intervention with the project. 11. Project duration

Projects will be funded from 1st September 2016 until 30 September 2018. Final Evaluation submitted by 31st December 2018

12. Soft outcomes

Recognising individuals’ personal achievements, or soft outcomes, is an important part of helping people towards finding suitable employment. These ‘soft outcomes’ include for example, helping people to acquire greater self-confidence in their potential or taking steps to overcome barriers to employment.

You will be expected to measure the ‘distance travelled’ by participants while on the project, based on prior assessment and recording of suitable steps. This may take the form of progress reports or self-assessment questionnaires. You will be expected to compile an evaluation report on your project at project close, which will include an assessment of soft outcomes for participants. You should therefore ensure that you collect information on soft outcomes for each participant throughout the lifetime of the project. Organisations unfamiliar with the measurement of soft outcomes will be able to access support and guidance to develop such measures. 13. Financial information

London Councils will pay projects funded through this programme on the basis of agreement costs. In other words, your project will be paid for the delivery of certain pre-specified outputs and results. The unit costs for each output and result are fixed, and are stated in Section Error! Reference source not found. along with the specification description.

You will be required to submit a project budget as part of your tender. Whilst you will be paid on the basis of grant agreement costs, London Councils’ assessors will be looking at your project budget to check that it represents value for money, and that all costs included are ESF eligible. Assessors will also be checking to see that you have included enough staff in your budget to deliver the project. In addition, assessors will be checking that you have included adequate provision for participant support measures such as childcare and also for publicity.

Staff costs In this section of the application form you should provide details of all the costs which relate to staffing your project. List the job title of the staff member involved and a short explanation of how the cost was calculated. If there are any other costs relating to staff (e.g. travel, subsistence etc.) you should include them in this section. You should give a brief explanation of how you calculated your costs, to enable assessors to clearly understand what is being funded.

For example -

| Item | Calculation | Amount | |-----------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------| | Trainer | 5hrs per month x 9 months x £16 per hr. | £720 | | Travel to outreach centre | 1 person x £3 x 2 per wk. x 34 weeks | £204 |

Participant costs In this section of the application form you should provide details of all the costs relating to items that you will provide to participants. For example, childcare, out of pocket travel costs, allowances, refreshments, equipment that participants may need for training (e.g. protective clothing), wage subsidies and so on. All entries should be itemised and calculations shown to explain the costs.

For example -

| Item | Calculation | Amount | |-----------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------| | Childcare/carer allowance | £50 per wk. x 7 people x 34 weeks | £11,900| | Travel | 10 people x £3 x 3 per wk. x 34 weeks | £3,060 |

London Councils expects all projects to provide child or dependent care for participants as required in order to enable them to access the programme. Other costs In this section of the application form you should provide details of any other costs of your project, which do not relate to staff or participants. This will include the other running costs of the project, for example, rent, small items of equipment, exam fees, publicity materials, postage, photocopying etc. Remember to include only those costs that relate to this project, by apportioning costs as appropriate.

Match funding means that you apply for the full amount of your total project cost. The programme does not require you to produce additional match funding because this is being provided by London Councils. Your project should be designed so that the funding provided by the London Councils ESF Programme covers all costs associated with it.

Eligible items of expenditure Funding can cover all the running costs of your project as long as they are ESF eligible (please see ESF Eligibility rules https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-programme-guidance) and you list them in your application. When budgeting, if some items are used for both this project and your other activities, you should apportion the cost as appropriate.

This funding does not cover capital expenditure; it only covers the costs associated with setting up and running your project. However, you are permitted to include the purchase of small items of equipment less than £1000 per item which are necessary for the delivery of your project.7

Eligible Staff costs:

- Administrative staff;
- Book keeping;
- Business counselling;
- Counselling and guidance;
- Project manager;
- Office manager;
- Outreach staff;
- Project co-ordinator;
- Staff recruitment;
- Staff training;
- Staff travel and subsistence;
- Trainer;
- Tutor; and
- Work experience co-ordinator.

7 The purchase of a computer is understood to be a maximum of less than £1000 for the complete computer. You cannot claim separately for each component part such as the monitor, keyboard etc. The computer is to be a complete set up. Participant costs:

- Childcare;
- Subsistence;
- Training allowances; and
- Travel costs.

Other costs:

- Advertising and promotion;

- Participant equipment and clothing;

- Cleaning;

- Consultancy;

- Copier rental;

- Depreciation of owned buildings;

- Depreciation of owned equipment;

- Equipment (small items less than £1,000);

- Exam fees;

- Fax;

- Insurance;

- Operating equipment lease;

- Postage;

- Professional fees and costs;

- Rent;

- Room hire;

- Service charges;

- Stationary and office supplies;

- Telephones; and

- Utilities. The following items of expenditure will be ineligible for ESF support:

- In-kind contributions which comprise the provision of land, real estate, equipment and unpaid voluntary work;

- Purchase of furniture, vehicles and equipment (other than small items of equipment);

- Purchase of second hand equipment;

- Bank debit charges;

- Legal fees;

- Fines, financial penalties and expenses arising from litigation;

- Purchase of land;

- Purchase of real estate (i.e. buildings after construction and the land on which they are built);

- Expenditure relating to venture capital, loan and guarantee funds;

- Redundancy costs.

14. Publicity arrangements

ESF funding carries requirements to adhere to the ESF 2014-20 publicity guidance:

- ensure that potential and actual participants, project partners, and employers, are aware of the source of support;
- publicise project successes; and
- participate as far as is practicable in London and national ESF publicity initiatives, including providing information for public directories of projects.

For example, London Councils and ESF logos should be present on all information and forms given to participants and included in all project publicity produced. Further guidance on publicity will be given to successful applicants.

For more detail on publicity requirements, please visit.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470206/ESIF_Publicity_Requirements_v2_221015.pdf 15. Assessment process

Assessment against criteria

All applications submitted under this round will be carefully assessed against the criteria set out in this guidance and their fit with the stated objectives will be judged. Projects’ proposed outputs and value for money will also be assessed e.g. assessors will check your budget to see that you have given due consideration to staff numbers and participant costs and the track record of your organisation will be considered. Funds are limited and not all projects which apply will receive funding. It is therefore important that you demonstrate in your project application how your project meets the criteria laid out in this guidance.

Your project must fit one of the specifications outlined in Section 2. Once the assessor is satisfied that your project and organisation is eligible for support, the rest of your application will be scored by awarding points against each of the assessment questions. Instructions on completing the tender form are included with each question in the application, and should be read carefully before you complete your answer. Each tender will be scored separately by two independent assessors. The tender form sets out the points available for each part of each question.

All applicants must achieve the minimum score on cross cutting themes

In order to be considered for funding. Applicants who do achieve sufficient points on this question will then be subject to a minimum quality threshold on the application as a whole: projects that score lower than 50% will not be funded, even if there is sufficient funding remaining.

References

London Councils intends to reference delivery organisations through its network of Borough grants officers, to verify whether the organisation has experience of working within the Boroughs and with the particular participant group relevant to this application.

If you do not consider that the relevant officer has sufficient knowledge of your organisation to provide this reference, please supply details of an alternative referee in the tender form.

The appraisal panels

Following scoring, an appraisal panel will be convened to assess each project on the criteria outlined above. The panel will comprise senior representatives from London Councils’ Grants Team. Other participants may be invited to join the appraisal panel should the number of applications warrant this. The appraisal panel will consider each project in score order, taking into account the further factors of value for money and the project’s fit within the strategic framework set out under the plan. The appraisal panel will also work to ensure that projects funded under the programme collectively target the whole range of target groups, that there is a good mix of projects and that there is a fair spread of projects geographically across London related to need. The panel will consider the geographic coverage of the provision, and coverage will/could be a deciding factor when funding is awarded.

The recommendations from the appraisal panel will then be presented to an independent external panel which will include:

- a representative from a suitable general voluntary sector umbrella organisation;
- other co-financing organisations; and
- representatives of the Managing Authority for ESF in London (the GLA’s European Programmes Management Unit)

The external panel will take a strategic view of the projects submitted, including their duration, the extent to which they contribute to the Pan London funding. This process will ensure that the projects chosen meet these aims and objectives. It will also help to ensure that there is no duplication of activities.

Following this panel meeting, results will be made available to applicants. All applicants will be provided with their scores, and unsuccessful projects will be given feedback about the reasons for the decision, if requested in writing. This feedback will include a summary of the assessors’ comments to help clarify the reasons for the decision. Unsuccessful applicants will be given the right of appeal on certain conditions.

16. Appeals

The selection process will be as open, objective and fair as possible but because the amount of funding available through London Councils ESF Programme is limited, only a small number of projects can be supported. Applicants whose projects have not been selected for funding will NOT have the right to appeal.

Due to the limited funding available, it is likely that a number of good proposals will not be successful. Most disappointed applicants think that their tender deserved a higher score. **No new information can be considered**, but clarification or further explanation of a score or answer will be considered. A complaint based on the fact that the project has been successful in the past will not be investigated further.

17. Monitoring and reporting on your project

London Councils has to report to the Managing Authority for ESF on the progress of the ESF programme each quarter as part of the procedure for claiming funds. These reports will include data on participants, on project activities and on total expenditure.

Successful applicants will therefore be required to submit reports at the end of each quarter. These reports will enable London Councils to meet the ESF and its own reporting requirements but will also form the basis for monitoring your project progress and achievements. Organisations will be given full advice in the pre-agreement phase on the information which must be recorded and reported and the implications for project procedures and systems. 18. London Employability Performance Rating

Projects will be required to participate in the London Employability Performance Rating, which uses management and performance information, supports participant choice and collects evidence of customer satisfaction, provides an evidence-based track record of delivery against grant, improves transparency of contract management and provides a framework for lead delivery partners to performance manage partners and subcontractors.

Further information about the London Employability Performance Rating can be found on the Greater London Authority’s website: http://data.london.gov.uk/london-employability-performance-rating/ 19. Payment arrangements

The system of an advance payment will be retained, with 15% of the agreed grant being paid in advance to providers upon satisfactory completion of funding agreements with London Councils. Payments in the final quarters of delivery will be reduced to take into account the initial first advance payment.

London Councils will then pay providers quarterly in arrears on the basis of agreement costs. Projects will be paid for the delivery of pre-specified outputs. These are described in Section 10.

Please note: London Councils is generally unable to recover any Value Added Tax charged. Therefore, the maximum sum stated in the project specifications listed above includes any VAT or other taxes charged. Under the provision of item 5A to group 6 of schedule 9 of the VAT Act 1994, the supply of education or vocational training funded by London Councils, and the supply by the person providing that education or training, of any goods or services essential to that provision, is an exempt supply for VAT purposes. In addition, the maximum sum stated in the project specification should include provision for direct costs to participants such as childcare, travel, subsistence, or participant incentives. 20. Contacts

For technical queries regarding the application process please contact:

| Name | Position | Email | Phone | |-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|----------------| | Jonathan McNamara | London Councils ESF Performance Manager | jonathan.mcnamara@londoncouncils.gov.uk | 020 7934 9958 | | Ann Britton | London Councils ESF Performance Manager | ann.britton@londoncouncils.gov.uk | 020 7934 9952 | | Karen Ferguson | London Councils, Principal Programme Manager | karen.ferguson@londoncouncils.gov.uk | 020 7934 9954 |

http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/grants Annex 1. Sustainable development: Further information

What is Sustainable Development? Sustainable Development is a process that seeks to ensure a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come. It does this by integrating social, environmental and economic considerations equally into everything we do. It recognises that social, economic and environmental issues are interdependent and therefore activity in one of these areas should not be pursued in isolation but with consideration for each of the other areas as well.

National Context In March 2005 Central Government launched the UK’s Strategy for Sustainable Development, ‘Securing the Future’ designed to bring social progress, the environment and the economy all together at the heart of policymaking. This has taken account of developments since “A Better Quality of Life” was produced in 1999. For details go to:

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/sustainable-development

It has identified five principles with a more explicit focus on environmental limits and four agreed priorities:

1. Sustainable consumption and production
2. Climate Change
3. Natural resource protection
4. Sustainable Communities.

Regional Context The Mayor of London has developed a number of environmental strategies, linked to the delivery of the London Plan (which is the Regional Spatial Strategy). These strategies play a key role in delivering environmental improvements within the Capital and focus on issues such as air quality, biodiversity, noise, municipal and business waste management, water and energy. In addition, with the publication of the Stern Review in November 2006 - which cited climate change as the most serious market failure ever to challenge the world - and the concerns raised in the International Panel on Climate Change earlier this year - which highlighted the fact that the effects of Climate Change have been accelerated by human activity - the Mayor has responded to these issues through the release of the Climate Change Action Plan. In this document, the Mayor recognises both the environmental and economic threats of climate change and has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 60% (based on 1990 levels) by 2025 and 80% by 2050. A further strategy relating to climate change adaptation is due to be released for public consultation in the New Year, which will further underpin the targets outlined in the CCAP. More details about all of the above can be found at http://www.london.gov.uk Application Process and Information

As part of the application process you will have to illustrate how you have considered and integrated into your project all the three elements of sustainable development: social, economic and environmental. There will also be an accompanying sustainable development checklist that you will have to complete and you should use this to identify the activity that you will provide further information on in the sustainable development section of the application form. Annex 2. Checklist – Health

London Councils seeks to improve the health of Londoners.

Below are some key questions that you should consider when developing your project.

There is no expectation that every project will answer yes to each question.

| | Question | YES/NO | |---|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------| | 1 | Is your project working with individuals with health issues including those with mental ill health issues? | | | 2 | Have you contacted your Primary Care Trust (PCT) and local Health Improvement Programme in order to develop your project? | | | 3 | Have you considered the links with sustainable development and equalities objectives? | | | 4 | Will your project offer health promotion information to your participants? | | | 5 | Will your project refer individuals onto health services locally, where this is appropriate? | | Annex. 3 European Structural and Investment Funds Programme Guidance as per 12/05/2016

For the latest version of all documents below please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/england-2014-to-2020-european-structural-and-investment-funds#programme-guidance-forms-and-performance-information

01. ESF Operational Programme for England 2014 to 2020
02. Eligibility rules for the 2014 to 2020 European Social Fund
03. ESIF Strategy
04. European Social Fund programme guidance
05. European Social Fund data evidence requirements - eligibility and results guidance
06. Branding and publicity requirements for the 2014 to 2020 European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund
07. Procurement law compliance guidance note
08. Procurement aide memoire for applicants and grant recipients
09. European Social Fund guidance on document retention
10. Output and result indicator definitions guidance for the European Social Fund